Homeowners and business owners that want to save an average of 35% off of heating and cooling expenses, and acquire a tax write-off in the process. Many owners are migrating toward R-shield insulation these days due to the constant rising energy costs. Depending on each building's energy consumption, owners can expect to recoup the cost for installation within 2 to 5 years.

What:

R-shield insulation is a fairly new product to buildings but not a new product in general. NASA has been using this exact same technology to reflect high temperatures encountered during space missions. The shuttle and space suits are lined with this material to reflect extreme temperatures from the sun, and also temperatures encountered during re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere. R-shield is a thin insulating material that has a layer of aluminum on both sides which reflect 97% of all radiant heat.

When:

Now! There is no better time than the present to start saving money on your energy bills. During the heating months (e.g., November through March), R-shield reflects heat produced by your furnace back into your house. During the cooling months (e.g., May through September), R-shield reflects heat produced by the sun back toward the sun, away from your home. R-shield is always working in your favor to reduce your energy costs.

How:

There are three ways heat is transferred. The first is CONDUCTION which is the transfer of heat by physical contact. This is how a pot is heated in the process of cooking. The pot is in direct contact with stove and heat travels from the stove surface directly to the pot. The second is CONVECTION which is the transfer of heat within a gas or liquid. This is when a hot surface looses heat to the air or liquid surrounding it. Heat flow is mostly lost upward, a fraction sideways, but never downward. The third is RADIATION which is when heat rays move through air spaces. Most everything emits radiation. This includes you, the sun, stoves, furniture, household items, walls, car, and even ice. Radiation is emitted in a straight line until they are absorbed (current insulation) or reflected (R-shield) by an object.

The test box below shows the difference in temperature with and without R-shield. Both start out at 72.9 degrees. After being exposed to direct radiant heat for thirty minutes. The side with R-shield only had a 3 degree increase. The side with traditional fiberglass batt insulation had an increase of over 64 degrees. As you can see, the side with R-shield stays substantially cooler because the heat being radiated from the bulb is being reflected vs. absorbed and raising the temperature.

In the summer months over 90% of the heat that enters your house is "radiated" through your roof and absorbed by your current insulation. While the insulation is being constantly heated up as the day goes on. It soon heats up your house just as a blanket keeps you warm when wrapped up in it. Radiant heat cannot be absorbed, it must be reflected with a radiant barrier. R-shield reflects 97% of radiant heat waves back to the sun. If your insulation is getting hot and warming your house up like a blanket this means that your A/C unit will turn on more frequently and run longer which in turn will increase your electric bill.

In the winter months up to 75% of all heat lost in your house is "radiated" directly up through the ceiling. R-shield will reflect 97% of radiant heat waves back into your home. By doing that it will make your furnace run less frequently throughout the winter therefore reducing electricity and/or natural gas consumption. R-shield will also cut down on the migration of cold air (which naturally moves down) through your existing cellular attic insulation.

Why:

It is a smart financial move to make. Consider your expenses from month to month--mortgage, car, phone, insurance, gas, water, electric, cable, grocery, entertainment, and medical. The mortgage and car you can eventually pay off. Cable, phone, and entertainment can be cut back and/or eliminated. Insurance and medical expenses can vary depending on your situation. Gas, water, electric, and grocery are expenses that are necessities in life and can not be eliminated. The only way to reduce these costs are to become more efficient and use the resources as wisely as possible. As you can see on the graph, the top two things in the house that contribute to the monthly electric bill are heating and cooling. By reducing those costs, that will get you ahead of the game when it comes to reducing your monthly energy bill.

Most consumers do not see the immediate need to take the initiative to upgrade the insulation in their house. Although, if your sink had a bad leak (wasting resources) then odds are you would call a plumber the next day to get it taken care of because you can visually see waste. Though radiant heat penetrating your ceiling and existing insulation is a big waste that can not be seen with the naked eye, but can be seen on the monthly bills. R-shield is a great product that will keep your A/C unit and furnace from working as much which will extend the life of those units. Will reduce your monthly utility bills. And will ultimately keep more money in your pocket and pay for itself in the process. A recent article in USA Today (shown to the right) examines the soaring electric bills from year to year.